Feather Down Farm Days (New Barn Farm)

Set one mile up a private bridleway from Carlton, a village that sits in the pastoral rolling landscape of the Ouse Valley, New Barn Farm has a surprisingly remote feel considering its proximity to London and the M1. Less than 30 minutes from the M1 and an hour from the northern suburbs of London, the area is well connected but by the time you reach the farm, along a narrow private track a good mile from the nearest tarmac road, you would think you were a million miles away.

The New Barn Farm family The Tongue family have farmed here for three generations. Husband and wife partnership Will and Hannah, their three children Evie, Harry, and Fergus and three dogs offer a warm and friendly welcome to campers as does Poo the pig, who loves a scratch (but stand back when she sneezes, it can be messy)! They will make you feel at home from the moment you arrive at New Barn expecially as they transport your luggage to your tent for you at the start and end of your stay.

The farming at New Barn Farm Our lambs are fattened slowly on grass and are usually sold direct to local customers to keep the food miles down and the breed has the reputation of being sweet, tender and delicious. In addition the farm makes meadow hay for local horse stables and rears pheasants for a local shoot. The farm partakes in a number of environmental management schemes, ranging from grassy margins around fields through plots of wild bird seed mixture to coppicing hazel woodland.

Hannah’s addiction to all things furry and feathered means the range of less commercial farm livestock stretches far beyond the sheep and includes Kune Kune pigs, Pygmy goats, horses, ponies, donkeys and ducks and chickens of various types. A steady supply of broody hens and a productive incubator mean there are usually a variety of chicks somewhere in the mix! Hannah is a bit of a foodie on the quiet, so expect to find a range of delicious home-made dishes in the honesty shop.

When not running the farm, Will Tongue provides business consultancy services to other farmers. If you want to learn more about the food and farming industry and the management and conservation of the farmland environment, he would be only happy to share his broad farming knowledge with you.

Along with our three children, we look forward to introducing you to our Kunekune pigs, pygmy goats, horses, ponies, donkeys, ducks and chickens. Our knowledge and passion for the business of farming and home-cooked food means you’ll return home both with new perspectives on the countryside, and a full stomach.

Spring is a special time at New Barn, and we always need a helping hand to feed our orphaned lambs. Our younger guests will also find fun in the woodland behind our eight tents, where they can build their own dens – their energy will be restored at our pizza nights, at which we hand-stretch dough and provide extensive toppings. So legendary are they, they’ve had many a mention on TripAdvisor!

Will and Hannah Tongue